Lamp-socket



No, 749,952. I PATENTED JAM-19,1904. 1), A. scHUTT; LAMP SOCKET;

APPLICATION FILED JAIL 28, 1902.

4 N0 MODEL.

Witnesses I nventoz? I UNITED STATES Patented January 19, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

DUNY. A. SCHUTT, OF PERU, INDIANA.

LAMP-SOCKET.

SIEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 749,952, dated January19, 1904.

Application filed January 28, 1902. Serial No. 91,609. (No model.)

To to whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, DUNY A. SOHUTT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Peru, in the county of Miami and State of Indiana, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Lamp-Sockets, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawings.

Mv invention relates to sockets for incandescent lamps, either key orkeyless; and it consists of the novel construction, arrangement, andoperation of the Various parts, as I shall now proceed to describe.

' One of the objects of the invention is to provide a socket which initself is perfectly insulated, with all workingparts so arranged thatthe regulation requirements as to breakdistance are complied with andthe working parts and mechanism so arranged that it will open and closecircuit quickly, while still having in all parts the required metallicbodies to give the best results on high voltage.

- A further object of the invention isto incorporate with the insulatedbase protecting shields or covers of insulating material inserted insuitable bearings in the base and adapted to protect and insulate theterminal connections or other metallic portions of the socket from thesurrounding cap or shell and also to prevent short-circuiting.

A further object is to provide a turningstem and tumbler in an efficientand economical manner.

Referring now to the drawings, Figure '1 is aperspective View of myimproved socket. Fig. 2 is a similar view, the outer shell and cap.having been removed. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the terminalconnections and the make-and-break mechanism shown in isometricperspective. Fig. 1 is a detail view of one of the protectinginsulating-shields. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view through thebases indicated by the line V V of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a similar view,indicated by the line VI VI of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a similar view at rightangles to Fig. 5, indicated by the line VlI VII of Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is anunder plan view of the upper insulating-base member separated on theline VIII VIII of Fig. 5 looking upwardly. Fig. 9 is a similar view ofshield adapted to be applied to the socket of Fig. 18.

The main body portions of the socket are composed of upper and lowerbase members 2 3, of porcelain or other suitable material, held togetherby screws A 4, passed through both members and secured by nuts embeddedin one of the insulating-bases.

5 is a screw-ring, with which contact is made.

in the usual manner with an Edison lamp, which ring is connected withone of the terminals 6 by screw 7, passing upwardly through the lowerbase and tapped into the lower endof the terminal 6, to which one of thewiresthe negative may be connected by a bindingscrew 8. By means of thescrew 7 and of another screw 9, tapped up through the shell and lowerbase into a holding-nut 10, the screwring 5 is firmly heldto the lowerbase. 11 is the other terminal connection, to which, by binding-screw12, the other wirethe positiveis attached, such terminal connectionsbeing embedded in the upper base members, as shown and connected byscrew 13 to the-contact-spring 1 1, secured by and screwed into theterminal 11 and to the under side of the upper base member, as clearlyshown in Fig. 5.

It will be noted that bothof the terminals 6 and 11, to which the hotwires are connected, are of good size, giving full contact, and thatthey are located remotely from each other and embedded in the porcelainbases, thereby obviating any danger of short-circuiting from strands inlamp-cord, 86C.

The center contact post or member consists of a spring 15, secured tothe central portion of the lower base by screw 16, tapped up Fig. 1A isa detail view of the protectingthrough the base into a contact member17, downwardly against which the spring 14 is designed to be thrown toclose the circuit. The spring 15 is secured in position while straightor partially bent, being preferably soldered to the head of screw 16,and after the screw 16 is driven in and soldered the spring is then bentover, as shown in Figs. 3 and 7, leaving a slight space between it andthe screw-head, thus allowing for elasticity in making the centralcontact with the lamp. In this manner the contacts for thefilamentterminals of the lamps are provided in the shell 5 and thecentral contact member 15, as will be readily understood. If desired,however, the spring 15 may be dispensed with, contact being made withthe head of the screw 16, which may be flattened and enlarged for suchpurpose.

The stem 18,which is of the usual construction, is mounted in bearingsformed between the meeting faces of the base members 2 and 3, whichbearings are made sufiiciently accurate to maintain the stem inalinement independent of any auxiliary bearing, and upon the stem isnon-rotatably mounted the tumbler 10, adapted in certain positions tothrow the free end of spring 14 into contact with the fiat member 17 toclose the circuit. The tumbler in the normal position shown in Fig. 5relieves pressure from the spring and allows it to rise away from suchcontact, breaking the circuit. The tumbler is formed of a blank (shownin Fig. 12,) stamped out of sheet metal, having the opposite terminals20 adapt ed to be folded up, as shown in Fig. 11, to provide thelongitudinal extremities,while on one side of the blank is formed abearing-lug 21, adapted to be bent up and provide a bearing for stem 18,as shown. The stem is first passed through a hole in such lug 21, afterwhich the retaining-lips 22 are formed on the stem to prevent therotation of the tumbler, when an oppositely-located lug or extension 23is then bent up and turned around the stem, as clearly shown in Fig. 11,on the other side of the lip 22, thus securing the tumbler in positionagainst removal when it and the stem are ready for insertion in thesocket. f

In the main figures of the drawings the terminals 6 and 11 are locatedremotely from each other and extend outwardly toward opposite sides ofthe upper base, cavities or openings being provided therefor oncorrespondingly-opposite sides. By this means it will be noted that thecontact members are located somewhat closely to the surrounding shell,and for the purpose of insulating such contact members from the shell Ihave employed shields 24, adapted to be inserted in the bases betweenlips or grooves 25, which may made of dovetail or other suitable form toreceive the shields 2 1.

In Fig. 13 I have shown another form of socket in which the metallicportions are located at the sides of the bases closely adjacent to thesurrounding shell,which construction may also be readily protected byinserting the shield 24, likewise of fiber or other suitable material,between the retaining-lips 25 in substantially the same manner as thatalready described, which will thus effectually protect and insulate themetallic portion of the socket from the shell or other exteriorconducting elements, thus effectually preventing short-circuiting.

In Fig. 10 I have shown in plan view the upper portion of a socketwherein the contact members 6 and 11 are embedded within the main bodyportion of the upper base, the contact 6 being secured by screw 7 to theshell 5, while the contact 11 is secured directly to spring 14: by screw12, and in such construction protecting-sheilds 24 will not benecessary. However, in all cases where the metallic members arenecessarily closely adjacent to the shell or other elements liable tocause short-circuiting the shields will be found to be very eificientand valuable.

The advantages of my invention will be appreciated by all those skilledin the art. All danger of short-circuiting is prevented by reason of allof the metal working parts being entirely inclosed in the interior ofthe insulating-bases, which are hollowed out to provide for its locationand operation. The terminals are so constructed as to give good contactservice and are remote from each other, embedded deeply in the porcelainand perfectly insulated. Wherever the hot wire connections are locatedat the sides of the sockets closely adjacent to the surrounding shell,they are entirely insulated by the fiber shields, effectually preventingshort-circuiting at such points. The faces of the tumbler and of thecontact-spring are broad and insure good connection, while the base andthe various parts are strongly and rigidly united together, so as toinsure the best possible mechanical and electrical results.

Changes and variations maybe made in the design, proportions,arrangement, or connections of the parts by the skilled mechanic withoutdeparting from my invention, and all such changes are to be consideredas within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a lamp-socket, thecombination of abutting base members of insulating material providedwith interior cavities, a contact member and central abutting springsecured in one of the bases, a wire-terminal and screw-shell se' curedtogether and to the sa1d base, a wlre-terminal and an interiorcontact-spring connected together and mounted in the other base, andmeans for actuating the contact-spring to make and break a circuit,substantially as set forth.

2. In a lamp-socket, the combination of abutting base members ofinsulating material provided with interior cavities, a contact memberand central abutting spring secured in one of the bases, a wire-terminaland screw-shell secured together and to the said base, a wire-terminaland an interior contact-spring connected together and mounted in theother base, anda turning-stem and tumbler mounted between the bases andadapted to actuate the contactspring to close the circuit, substantiallyas set forth. I

3. In a lamp-socket,the combination of abutting base members ofinsulating material provided with interior cavities, a contact memberand central abutting spring secured in one of the bases, a wire-terminaland screw-shell secured together and to the said base, a wire-terminaland an interior contact-spring connected together and mounted in theother base, a turning-stem mounted between the bases, and a tumblermounted thereon formed of a blank having lugs turned up at each end andat each side to engage the stem, substantially as set forth.

4. In a lamp-socket; a tumbler formed of a blank of sheet metal havingopposite extensions adapted to be bent up to form the end bearings, anintermediate lateral perforated extension adapted to be bent up to forma stembearing at one side, and an oppositely-located lug adapted to bebent up and turned over the stem to form the other stem-bearing.

5. In combination with a turning-stem provided with lateral lips, atumbler formed of a blank of sheet metal having opposite extensionsadapted to be bent up to form the end bearings, an intermediate lateralperforated extension adapted to be bent up to form a stem-' bearing atone side and an oppositely-located lug adapted to bebent up and turnedover the stem to form the other stem-bearing.

6. In combination with an insulating-base, a removable shield ofinsulating material adapted to be inserted between retaining-lips in theside of the base.

7. In combination with a lamp-socket having base members of insulatingmaterial and terminals mounted therein; a removable shield of insulatingmaterial adapted to be inserted between retaining devices in the bases,to insulate the terminals from the shell.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DUNY A. SOHUTT. Witnesses:

WM. B. McCLrNTIc, DAVID IRWIN.

